1. RUSSIAN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

2. Climate
Although Russia has almost every climate region it is mostly Subarctic and Humid Continental

3. Vegetation
Tundra – permafrost grasslands with scattered shrubs in the north
Taiga – dense evergreen forest
Ideal for Russian lumber industry
Chernozem – means “black earth” steppe- grassland region
Southern Russia
Ideal for agriculture
Tundra
Taiga
Chernozem

4. RUSSIAN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
“Transcontinental countries” touch two or more continents
Countries that touch both European and Asian continents are called Eurasia
Ural Mountains is the primary boundary of the two continents
EUROPE
ASIA
Beyond the Ural Mountains there are 9 other landforms that separate Europe from Asia, how many can you guess?

5. Ural Mountains
Ural River
Caspian Sea
Caucasus Mt. (origin of the word Caucasian)
Black Sea
Bosporus Strait
Marmara Sea (smallest sea)
Dardanelles Strait
Aegean Sea
Mediterranean
HOW MANY COUNTRIES ARE EURASIAN?

6. There are 5 countries that make up Eurasia, what are they?
Russia
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Turkey
ASIA
EUROPE

7. Russia’s Southern Boundary
Black sea, Caucasus Mountains, Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China

8. RUSSIAN LAKES Russia’s largest lake in the Caspian Sea
Caspian is a Sea due to its size and salt content, however, by definition a lake is a landlocked body of water
It is about the same size as California
Caspian Sea contain large amounts of oil

9. LAKE BAIKAL
Largest fresh water lake in the world in volume. Second only to the Caspian Sea in size.
5370 feet deep
Contains 20% of all the worlds fresh water
1,085 species of plants and 1,550 species and varieties of animals – many are found only here.
Scientist believe there are still many species left to find, but water is too dark and deep to explore

10. LAKE BAIKAL

12. ARAL SEA Aral Sea is also a lake Aral Sea is shrinking – WHY
Shrinking Aral Sea
Aral Sea is also a lake
Aral Sea is shrinking – WHY
Environmental and climatic changes
Diversion of water from the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers
Poor management of resources has damaged the region’s environment

13. VOLGA RIVER Nearly 75% of Russia’s population lives in Europe
Largest River in Russia
Eleven out of Russia’s 20 largest cities are located on the Volga (Including Moscow)
Nearly 75% of Russia’s population lives in Europe

14. SIBERIA Means “STEPPING LAND”
All land located east of the Ural Mountains
No warm ocean currents reach Russia
Many resources; timber, oil, and coal mining

15. SIBERIA
TWO REGIONS
West Siberian Plain – is flat frozen tundra and woodlands
Central Siberian Plateau – located in mid- Asia (high flat peaks)

16. Wooly Mammoths
Siberian Arctic Fox
Siberian Tiger
480 bear paws from pelt trafficking

17. BERING STRAIT Separates the United States from Russia
Only 53 miles wide